Result of an inspiration……

 

While browsing online, one day I came upon this book from Denyse Schmidt.

                         

I was really awed by the simplicity and the beauty of her quilt designs, and I really wanted to try it out.  The best thing about her designs are that if you are a quilter, for that matter even a beginner can attempt to make them.  So this time it is an inspired quilting attempt……

Well my attempt at free motion quilting, is not great but I am happy I could manage.   The actual quilt made by Denyse Schmidt is  quite a big one, I just made part of the design which is the cover page of her book.  Her free motion quilting is perfect and a treat to your eyes.

I made it into a table topper as of now, if I feel one day that I should hang it up I can always attach some loops to it.  I give the credit of this design completely to Denyse schmidt.  Thank you Denyse for inspiring me with your designs.  A close up of my quilt……

Meanwhile, there is something else I want to show you all…….

 

Yay!!!!…. My new sewing machine,  a birthday gift from my DH.   It’s a Janome, horizon – memory craft 8900 QCP. as you all can see.  I think it’s a new model from janome, but it is specifically suitable for quilting. I am yet to open it and try my hands on it,  but the table I have now is very small for this one,  I don’t think I have the patience till I get a table made, so I will have to figure out some way to get my hands on it.    Once I open it up, I will surely put up a picture.

Thank you everyone, for your lovely and generous comments.  Till my next post, Bye…. and Be happy….. Rgds, Preeta..

 

A new cover for my arm chair….

 

Since quite some time I wanted to stitch a cover for our Ikea arm chair,  The original color is an off white fabric, the usual Ikea colors which get soiled,very fast with kids at home.   Finally, I managed to sew  not one, but two ,and I am so glad about it.

                       

This is a linen fabric, and I was attracted to the prints on it which is generally not seen on linen.

The second cover that I stitched is a self printed Japanese cotton and a very bright color.  You cannot see the self prints in the snap.   I love bright and vibrant colors,  and try to add them here and there in my décor.

                       

One final picture of our arm chair……

                                                 

           

This week has been quite productive with regards to the  crafty side of my life, and I am quite satisfied with myself.  I really deserve to have a good weekend break here in muscat , plan for something interesting to come up with.  Hopefully my mojo remains and I will come up with some good finishes, till then its Bye from me.   

 

Foundation piecing …… QAL at Desi Quilters

 

Desi Quilters, is a group of quilters and crafters basically from India, and its been a privilege to be a member of that group on facebook, since they provide great opportunities to learn new stuff.  They have regular Quilt along projects with tutorials from among the members.

         

My finish this time is a project of one such QAL tutorial, done by Nima of Made to Treasure.   My first attempt  at paper piecing was a small heart, which I made into a coaster.  

That time I had not even started full fledged  quilting.   Can you see how shabby it looks, because I din’t  even know to do binding.  But I found it extremely interesting and wanted to try out some proper foundation piecing after I perfected my basic quilting techniques.

That was a time, and now is a time, where I can proudly say, that I am into quilting.  Still a long way to become perfect though, but since then I have tried quite a few quilting techniques.

Now coming back to my QAL project, I really enjoyed the whole experience, I have made mistakes but since I know the little technicalities I know to hide it in quite a decent manner.  I have learnt from my mistakes  in this process.  So let me show you my quilted foundation pieced finish……

I have quilted using diagonal lines, and this time I tried a new binding technique.  This is done using the sewing machine and we don’t have to hand stitch the binding behind. I was really thrilled by the result, since I could get beautiful mitered corners, and is quick to finish.

You can see the tutorial on youtube by Missouri quilts Co. here.

Can you see the machine stitches….. and the perfect mitered corner.

A close up of my quilting too….

I made this into a wall hanging and now it is proudly hanging in my living room…….

I sincerely thank Nima who took so much efforts, to give this tutorial, and thank you Desi quilters for providing such opportunities. 

Until my next post, Bye and Keep smiling and sewing……

Prarie points table runner…..

If you all remember, I had mentioned about many things in my to do list this year.  One of them was using prarie points in some of my projects.  I always loved the look of prarie points and after viewing many of the tutorials online to make prarie  points, I felt it was quite easy.  I was eager to incorporate what I learnt,  and here is the result…..

I am sorry about the dark picture, there is very little daylight  in my living room.

Let me show you the close up  of my runner……

Can you see a piping sort of border…. This was another item in my to do and learn list, to attach a piping border to a cushion, but my search for a tutorial lead me to another very nice idea of flange/flat piping without using a cord.  You can see it here at  quiltingquandry  blog.  It’s a nice tutorial and a great idea for runners or quilts. 

I have attached a triangle corners at both the end of the table runner.

I am very happy and satisfied with the finish and look forward to do more projects with prarie points and pipings.  One last look at my table runner, this time in sunlight.

Thank you everyone, for your comments and suggestions, its always a welcome  encouragement.  Until next time,  Bye and take care,  Preeta.

Just Chill………….

Life at times become so…… hectic, busy and monotonous, that we forget to breathe.   We need to remind ourselves now and then to calm down and enjoy life’s little blessings and sweet nothings.  

Sometimes it is my kids who reminds me to chill,  “Chill mom, Chill” .   On this note, I am posting my small little finish, which will help me remind  myself to keep chill, and take things as it comes. 

The hand embroidery is from a free pattern that I found online.  I have  just used basic hand embroidery stitches, and since its been ages that I have done any hand embroidery, I could see my imperfect stitches here and there.  But ultimately, it’s the joy of trying out things again and most of all finishing the project into something cute that made me happy.  So I am just happy that, I am also acting on the words embroidered.

 

 

A closer look……

I have also quilted the borders………… Can you see the circles….

 

So until my next post,  all of you out there CHILL!!!  and celebrate life……. 

Bye  from Preeta

A new year and a new beginning….

 

Hope all of you had a blessed New Year….. Its two weeks since the new year’s eve,  and it  boggles me how time just flies, more so when I realize I have a long……….. to do list.  And this year I want to make use of most of  my free time doing creative stuff.  Thankfully,  I have the mojo at the moment, just hoping and praying I get the right direction and atmosphere to make use of it.

As of now there are many, things in different  stages but a small and quick finish to show you all.  I have been wanting to sew a tissue box cover, and while browsing the net for some quick tutorials I found this one from Nima’s  blog.  You can go to her blog to see the tutorial, the original as she mentions is from  a different site. but I found the method she has given to be very simple and quick.

I have just added a strip with some wooden buttons so that I can also hang it.

 

It was an easy and quick finish and I would also thank Nima for the method that she had proposed.

Hope to come back soon with another finish . Till then take care.

A Come back ….. and a finish

 

Its been more than a year that I have done anything on the crafty side of my life,  but during the last two years, my priorities were different and we do  have to choose accordingly.  

Now finally, I am finding some time, to spend in my sewing room and believe me, once you  loose touch its very difficult to begin,  it took me much time to start getting the hang of it.  I would spend days confused, where to start, and how to start.  There were too many things in my mind, but was unable to decide….. should it be a wall hanging … or a quick project … or some hand embroidery.  Then I thought quilting it should be!!!  and finally I set on starting a simple quilted wall hanging  with one of my old silk saree.  I thought I’ll use the pulloo(the heavy border portion of a saree, that hangs from the shoulder ).   I started work  jubilantly, I sandwiched the pieces and also quilted…..

But I was not happy with it, one of the reason was that my batting was a thin one and the quilting was not showing properly… and  there was this unsatisfied feeling,  It lay there,  like this in my sewing room for days together….. until one fine day my friend Nima  sent me a picture of  some lovely ethnic cushions on some home décor site, which gave me  the idea of changing this wall hanging into some cushion covers.   And finally this is what the wall hanging ended up to….. …

It is really not easy to sew silk material, since it is always slipping and on top of it when your hands have lost that touch  it becomes worse.  And to cut out pieces from a huge 51/2 yards saree is also not easy.

I am happy that, I made something pretty of it, and I could really use some good new cushion covers out of  an old silk saree.  I could make six of them using the wall hanging patches and the rest of my  saree……..

I hope … now that I have started,  I will get some good inspirations and encouragement from the blog land  to come up with some good finishes.

Until, I come up with some new finishes its Bye!  from Preeta.